The Most Innovative and Controversial Mass-Produced American Vehicle Ever Built
The birth of the Corvair has its roots going back to the post-war era, 1945-46 specifically, as General Motors had looked into building a compact car called the Cadet. It was a conventional vehicle in regards to the engine, a water-cooled inline six-cylinder, however, it was to have an almost unheard-of "unit-body" construction design. Add in the tiny 12-inch diameter wheels and it was not like anything that Detroit had been offering since the start of automobile production. The unusual car, a prototype built with the idea of being low-cost and cheap to operate, turned out to be before its time, it was never brought into production. The new-car buyers in America at that time weren't very concerned about fuel economy and desired small dimensions. So the Cadet project never became a reality. Bigger was better in the days of cheap gasoline.
The Corvair was the first "unit-body" production vehicle that General Motors had ever produced for American consumption (in 1935 their German subsidiary, Opel, debuted the Olympia compact car featuring its all-steel unitized body). Weight savings were said to be in the 50-60-percent range over a traditional body-on-frame design. Front fenders came welded on from the factory.
Getting the cover of a popular mainstream media magazine was a big deal for Chevrolet in 1959, when Time Magazine featured both the new Corvair and the Chevrolet General Manager Ed Cole on their October 5, 1959 edition. "Not since Henry Ford put the nation on wheels with his Model T has such a great and sweeping change hit the auto industry," the editor said in the coverage. "Out from Detroit and into 7,200 Chevrolet showrooms this week rolled the radically designed Corvair, first of the Big Three's new generation of compact cars. Smaller and simplier than Detroit's chrome spun standards, the Corvair is like no other model ever mass-produced in the U.S.; its engine made of aluminum and cooled by air, and it is mounted in the rear."
What was appealing to management was the layout of this new compact car was, because of the deletion of water cooling, it was felt that for dealers this vehicle was a way of not "cannibalizing" sales from their existing full-sized cars. In other words, the goal was to "steal" sales from the import invaders in the American marketplace (mostly the Volkswagen Beetle and the Karmann Ghia, which had been released in 1955) rather than taking away potential sales of other Chevrolet models. The manufacturing of a more traditional compact car would have been viewed merely as a scaled-down version of the production Chevrolet.This was listed at the time as a legitimate concern for the sales department.
When the Corvair was first introduced to the public, the car was promoted as being the only American car with an "airplane-type air-cooled engine" which was taken as being exotic for automotive use. The specifics of the powerplant is that it was constructed of a "flat 6" layout, with three horizontal cylinders one ach side of the central crankshaft, with the use of pushrod-activated overhead valves. With a bore of 3.375-inches, and 2.6-inch stroke, giving a displacement of 140 cubic inches. The compression ratio of 8.0:1 and twin single-barrel carburetors produced 80 horsepower at 4400 rpm. with a rating of 125 ft / lbsof torque, peaking at 2400 rpm. Each side-mounted carburetor fed the three cylinders it was positioned on top of. A lengthy v-belt spun off the crankshaft to run the cooling fan and the generator.
The three cylinders on each side of the engine are individual iron castings and feature machined diameters on each end and spigot into the crankcase's one-piece aluminum casting. This clever clamping system proved to be great method of insuring rigidity, adding strength and eliminating any distortions. Two valves per cylinder are used (1.34-inch intake, 1.240-inch exhaust) were small as compared to a normal 3.375-inch cylinder bore, and spaced far apart for cooling purposes.
Described as a"pancake" engine as it was built for compactness, it was a flat-6design with aluminum block and heads, with iron cylinder barrels. 8.0:1 compression ratio was and it delivered 80 horsepower from its 140-cubic inches.Twin one-barrel carburetors (1.25-inch venturi) were used, one for each side of the engine. Engine cooling was accomplished by using an 11-inch fan located onthe top of the engine, which shot air on to the extensively finned cylinders.The fan had 24 blades (arranged in a Sirocco-type blower) and the output capacity was rated at 1800 cubic feet at 4000 rpm of the crankshaft. The fan drive itself used unusual right turn angles, and it worked thanks to deep groove pulleys and a special thin belt specific for this application. Three different transmissions were available, a standard 3-speed manual, optional 2-speed PowerGlide automatic, plus a 4-speed manual gearbox.
The car featured a unit structure, an integral body/frame structural design, riding on a wheelbase of 108-inches, with side-rail reinforcements. Up front, under the trunk lid was an odd-shaped luggage compartment, that held 9.8 cubic feet ofcargo. Inside, because the engine and transmission were rear-mounted, the floor was virtually flat. There were bolt-in (front and rear) suspension subframes, coil springs were used all around, with an I.R.S. (independent rear suspension)swing-arm rear arrangement. The axle shafts "swing" as the suspension system moved up and down, and the use of control arms allow the swing axle system to absorb cornering loads. Because of the weight preponderance being on the rear of the car, there was a high spring rate on the rear coils, designed to deal with the weight distribution.
Thick white walls were still in vogue for 1960, and thin white walls didn't appear until early 1961. The pictured 1960 Corvair 700 DeLuxe was the mid-priced model ($2103) and was the best seller that first year, with 139,208 of them sold with 250,007 total 1960 model year Corvair sales.
The base model was called the 500 Series, and it was priced at $2038 (four-door), and later introduced in January of 1960, the 2-door coupe (priced at $1984). These vehicles were bare-bones, basic transportation cars and as it turned out, Corvair buyers preferred a bit more "flash" and when the sporty Monza model came out, those more premium-equipped versions were well received and immediately outsold the base 500 and medium level 700 models.
This Body by Fisher advertisement focused on the new 2-door Corvair body itself, which came out in January of 1960, while the 4-door versions were released in October of 1959. In April of 1960 the Monza version was released (on the 2-door body configuration that first year) and after that, 2-door Corvairs consistently outsold their 4-door counterparts each of the 11 model years the Corvair was sold.
The advertising campaign was extensive and as shown here with a U.S. Air Force jet, with a subliminal message that if it was admired by a pilot, it must be a quality car. The example shown was the Deluxe 700 model which, like all early 1960 cars, was a four-door sedan. The 700 series was immediately distinguished from the base 500 model by the stainless steel molding that completely encircled the body.
The "flying wing" rear roof design was front and center in this 1960 advertisement, with that overhanging flat-top design theme debuting on the 1959 4-door Chevrolets. The reference to "light-handed" refers to the steering characteristics, as they described it as being easy to steer "because the steering doesn't have to cope with the weight of a front engine."
When the Corvair first came out the spare tire was housed up front, and this brochure diagram explained the optional gasoline-powered heater/defroster system that was located on the passenger's side of the front storage compartment. Because it operated separately from the engine, it supplied heat to the interior almost instantl
The first model year of the Corvair did not include a station wagon, but starting in 1961 came the availability of the "Lakewood" station wagon base Series 500 and up level Series 700. What Chevrolet did was incorporate the roof line from the OldsmobileF-85 / Buick Special / Pontiac Tempest station wagons, and the windshield andrear doors are unique to these cars. A 1962 Model 700 shown here. These Corvair wagons retained the standard 108-inch wheelbase and 180-inch overall length. Corvair station wagons had a rated 68 cubic feet of carrying capacity space, and A/C was not available on Corvair station wagons. Production was halted on these wagons in mid-1962 because of a lack of sales. The 1962 Series 700 wagon had a listed price of $2407 and a shipping weight of 2390 pounds.
For release in the 1961 model year, Chevrolet brought out their new "Corvair 95" truck model, which was a cab-forward design with a 95-inch wheelbase and rear-mounted air-cooled powerplant. The trucks were referred to as "Load side" pickups, and featured a semi-unitized cargo area (it featured a subframe for added strength). Access to the engine was done by removing a flat steel panel that was part of the floor. There was an optional "Ramp side" (pictured)that incorporated a unique side loading door that dropped down (22-degree angle) for easy access. Sales were never strong, and the series was discontinued after the 1962 model year run. Only 369 Ramp side trucks were produced in 1962, making them among the rarest of all Corvairs.
Inspired by the successful VW Type 2 "Microbus" that was becoming increasingly popular with the camping crowd, for 1961 Chevrolet came up with a version of their own called the Greenbrier Recreational Sports wagon. It could be equipped for serious camping with custom interiors and fitted with pop-up expandable roofs) while others were converted for ambulance service. With no engine in between the front seats, it allowed for a roomy interior. For light-duty delivery vehicle use, a Corvair 95 Commercial Panel (no side windows) "Corvan" was also built, with base models having only a driver's side cab seat and right-side cargo doors. An optional "eight-door" version was available, for increased interior access. The Greenbrier was phased out in 1965, and replaced by a new Chevy van Carryall, a more conventional van with a front engine.
Big news came in early 1962 when the Spyder was introduced, the turbocharged Monza which had a boosted output of 150 horsepower. Included in the Spyder package was a 3.55 axle ratio and 4-speed manual transmission. Also new at this time frame was the availability of the convertible, offered on both the 700 Series and Monza 900 Series.
By 1962 the Monza was really catching on with the buying public as a fun, sporty compact car, and the2-door Club Coupe was the best seller of all Corvairs: 151,738 sold that year making it the best selling year and model of all Corvairs in history. Before options, it had a base price of $2273 and sales for the Monza that year accounted for about half of the complete Corvair line.
By the time the 1962 model year Corvairs came out, Car Life Magazine got ahold of a Monza version, Power glide and A/C equipped, and did a complete road test, and was quite impressed with the whole package. It's fun! That was their main point in the review, however, they did feel it was important to share with the readers about the car's handling, under certain driving conditions. Here's how they phrased the concerns after driving the Corvair:
"The car can be a handful if the driver doesn't understand its peculiarities. The causes of all this are the same rear weight bias and independent springing we just praised. Together, they give the car rather unsettling properties at higher speeds. Take cornering, for example. Head into a turn at a moderate clip and the car will feel like any other. There's a slight but discernible understeer, amplified by a pronounced centering tendency in the steering."
And the editors summarized their report with this: "Of course, a great many Corvair owners may have no taste for sashaying down winding roads. But we think they should familiarize themselves with the car's behavior under such conditions so they'll know what to do in an emergency."
"Super Spyder" was the 1962 Corvair dream car, featuring a flip-up fiberglass panel aft of the seats, and a shortened wheelbase of 15 inches, removed between the doors and rear wheels. With a chopped-down windscreen and wrap-a-round short side windows, it wasn't an all-weather vehicle. The engine was supercharged and a 4-speed manual transmission was used. It made the cover of the August 1962 Car Life Magazine, which was a special Corvair issue.
The "body drop" procedure at the General Motors Willow Run Assembly Plant(Michigan), where it was actually quite different as the front and rear suspension sub-assemblies were in fact lifted up into place and attached to the frame-less unit body of the Corvair. (The rear suspension system was installed as a unit with the transaxle and engine attached.) During the 10 model years of the car, production was added at the GM plants in Kansas City, MO, Van Nuys and Oakland, CA., plus Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
Beverly Hills, CA, on January 12, 1962, saw popular television comedian Ernie Kovacs killed while driving his Corvair station wagon home from a party. The roads were wet and he reportedly was taking a sharp turn at 50 miles per hour when his car slid, hitting a telephone pole in a massive impact, ejecting him from the vehicle. Not wearing a seat belt, in a small compact car, most likely not a survivable crash no matter however it did fall into the narrative that the Corvair was an unsafe car.
The pictured 1963Series 900 convertible was powered by the 145-cid (84-hp) engine, with either an optional Powerglide 2-speed automatic transmission, a 4-speed manual transmission was optional or with the standard 3-speed manual transmission.
This brochure artwork depicts a pair of 1963 700 Series cars, a 4-door sedan priced at $2110 and the 2-door version priced at $2056. The factory offered these and a lower-priced500 Series Club Coupe ($1992) however at the end of the year, the more expensive Monza greatly outsold all the lower-level versions and by a large margin. People wanted a flashy car and that was exactly what got Lee Iacocca excited about offering a new car from Ford to compete, the Mustang.
What provided that extra 70-hp over the base engine (both displacing 145 cubic inches) was the fitting of a turbocharger that came from an Ohio-based company called Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge (later shortened to TRW). The turbo itself had an 11-inch The internals of the turbo engine received beefing with stronger connecting rods, and heavy-duty bearing inserts, plus the intake and exhaust valves were enlarged to increase breathing capacity. A new acetal resin plastic cooling fan was added and at full output, the turbocharger reached 11 pounds of boost.
The engine was enlarged to 164-cid in 1964, and power was up to 195 cubic inches with 95 horsepower on base engines. The 1964 car had changed very little from the original 1960 models.
This Monza Spyder print ad has a little fun with "hugs and squeezes" all the while describing the car as being a sporty car that is fun to drive. Advertising was focused on the Corvair not being so much and economy car but one that was something out of the ordinary and more geared for enthusiasts. The sales backed that thought process up.
The 1964 model year saw an improvement to the swing axle rear suspension with the addition of a transverse leaf spring, designed to stabilize the rear wheels and improve overall handling. This became known as the "camber compensator" spring and it somewhat resembled what Chevrolet did when they came out with the 1963 Corvette IRS. But the real re-design for the Corvair's rear suspension was to happen in 1965, when the second generation of the car was brought to market. Bigger brakes were also part of the 1965 re-design, now 9.5-inch diameter (34-percent increase in size).
Petersen Publishing did a special Corvair Performance Handbook outlining modifications that could be done to the first generation (1960-1964) cars, including engine upgrades and handling tricks. Around this time frame the interest level in high-performance Corvairs was at an all-time high, with nearly 10,000 members of the COCI, Corvair Owners Club International, signed up and members from all 50 states, plus other countries. The enthusiasm was high and there were plenty of aftermarket "go-fast" high-performance components made especially for the flat-6 engine.
New was the top-line "Corsa" model, which could be had with either a high-compression(9.25:1) 140-horsepower engine, now displacing 161 cubic inches and equipped with four one-barrel Rochester carburetors (with progressive linkage), or the turbocharged version which delivered 180-horsepower, capable of 0-60 mph in 10seconds, which was a big deal for a Corvair.
Besides the stylish new body shape, the big deal with the 1965 Corvair was the new Corvette-like fully independent rear suspension, which included upper axle half-shafts and lower unequal-length control arms. This new system greatly improved the relationship between keeping the tread of the tire completely on the road, and the elimination of the camber changes to do with extreme suspension travel.
The L87 turbocharger engine as fitted in the 1965/66 Corsa models delivered 180 horsepower, which was the high-watermark for stock factory Corvair engine output. Displacement was 164 cid and it had 8.25:1 compression ratio. A single-barrel side-draft carburetor was used in conjunction with an updated turbo unit now with a 14-blade impeller for increased airflow and pressure output). Mandatory was the M20 4-speed transmission, which was coupled with a 3.55:1 axle ratio.
After nearly a million and a half were sold in the five years since the Corvair debuted, and with almost no changes, the new 1965 Corvair had extensive suspension safety upgrades as well as all-new fresh styling changes. It had been refined and while it kept the same 108-inch wheelbase, it was now two inches wider and three inches longer, and a true 2-door hardtop now incorporated in the body design. A silver cove treatment had been affixed to the rear with quad taillights.
With the spare tire and jack equipment now located in the rear, there was increased cargo space upfront in the luggage compartment. Pictured is a 1965 model with single brake master cylinder, starting in 1967 came the federally-mandated dual master cylinder for improved braking safety.
Even stock, when the 1965 Corvair came out it could easily zigzag through marked pylons at 40 mph with very little body lean, and for those that wanted to further improve handling and performance, a Santa Monica, CA-based aftermarket supplier named IECO specialized in Corvair parts and accessories. (Catalog cover image shown.)Included in their product were sport-tuned shock absorbers, competition coil springs, front and rear anti-roll bars, high-speed steering arms (shortened wheel turns from 5 rotations to 2.8 rotations on the steering wheel), competition clutches, close-ratio transmission gears, forged axles, heavy-duty differential carriers, big-bore kits, forged pistons, racing camshafts, tuned exhausts and water-injectors (for turbocharged applications).
It was clear that the Corvair had become a "cult hero" vehicle for serious car lovers when the popular Car and Driver Magazine featured a modified Corvair (Fitch Sprint)on its September 1965 cover, surrounded by upgraded suspension, braking, exhaust, and other accessories specifically for the cars supplied by John Fitch.
In 1965 Chevrolet engineers solved the previous handling problem by switching to a design that incorporated a double-jointed rear axle equipped with two u-joints on each axle. Wvailableith it no longer being a "swing axle" configuration, there was no more tendency for the wheels to tuck under. as the new design did not change wheel camber during suspension movement. With the updated rear suspension, when there was body roll during hard cornering conditions, there was now improved traction and stability as the inside tire (right side in the diagram) remains nearly perpendicular to the road surface. The timing of this rear suspension upgrade was too late as the damage had already been done to the Corvair as far as bad publicity for a lack of safety was concerned.
A big advantage of the designed 1965 Corvair was all about improved, more nimble handling. The unit construction continued, and these second-generation cars weighed about 50 pounds more, and a lot of that was the result of a stiffened-up chassis structure. The early cars had pillared roofs, and besides the fresh, new European styling, both the 2-door and 4-door Corvairs were now of the hardtop design, doing away with the center post or B-pillar. In order to do that, the unit-body platform needed strengthening in the way of torsional stiffness.
The "Body by Fisher" division of General Motors did a special advertisement highlighting the new shape of the second-generation Corvair body, featuring a wooden buck of the Corvair's quarter-panel and sculptured pieces of the C-pillar and driver's door. All this and with a model wearing a gown by Christian Dior.
John Cooper Fitch was a highly respected race car driver and inventor who had driven a variety of competition cars, including factory Corvettes, and he felt the Corvair was an a road racing machine. He first started with modifying them in 1961 and by the time the second-generation cars were released, he had a complete line of performance parts and suspension upgrades available.
Included in his enhancements styling-wise were the fiberglass overlays that were fitted over the rear portion of the roof and c-pillars providing a "flying buttress" profile and black-out hood and roof treatment.
The pictured Corvair street machine had a number of modifications, namely the fitting of a V8 engine up front and a solid rear axle installed in the rear, moved forward in an effort to get better traction. For serious drag racing, Corvair bodies were found to be very aerodynamic and used in the then-new Funny Car class and the top performer was Doug Thorley's car, which won the 1969 NHRA Funny Car Eliminator, running as quick as 7.69 seconds.
When a young lawyer named Ralph Nader came out in late 1965 with his book "Unsafe at Any Speed" it put a focus on the Chevrolet Corvair, and there had been documented crashes, injuries and deaths associated with the small, rear-engined car. While the book he wrote did cause harm to the Corvair, what really eventually killed it was the release of the Ford Mustang, which was a much more exciting car and a great sales success. At an early stage and really before anyone could comprehend the impact and record sales of the Mustang, Chevrolet foolishly thought they could compete head-to-head with the new Ford pony car with their redesigned 1965 Corvair. However, by April of 1965, the management at Chevrolet had sent out notice to the Corvair engineers that nothing new, no further development work, should be done to the car except as required for federal safety laws and emissions.
Under the right driving conditions, it was quite possible to get a Corvair to roll over, there's no question about that. There were numerous injuries plus some deaths as a result, and not long after the 1960 Corvairs were released the word go tout about how they could turn over and without necessarily going all that fast, in fact as slow as 35 miles per hour. Lawsuits against General Motors soon followed.
In retrospect, the single biggest problem with the Corvair was that General Motors was too slow to react to the design flaw of the rear suspension of the first-generation cars. There were design obstacles however it was more about keeping the costs down. The deaths and injuries that took place before that should have generated an immediate response for the corporation, as they knew how it fix it, even though they ignored it because of keeping the selling price low (to compete with the Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant.
Starting on January 6,1966, Canonsburg, PA, Don Yenko was able to homologate "Yenko Stinger" cars (100 Corvair Corsas with the back seat removed to be classified as a sports car) into the SCCA Class D Production category, as full-fledged race cars. The base level raised 20 horsepower (to 140) and that included blueprinting the engine, fitting of a Tuff-Trided crankshaft, M-400Moraine connecting rods, upgraded main bearings opening up the jets of the four Rochester carburetors, velocity stacks, tubular exhaust and raising the oil capacity to seven quarts via a new finned oil pan, plus a special spring tensioner that maintained an additional 10 pounds of belt tension, which eliminated the possibility of throwing the belt off at highest rpm.
This 1966 Corvair advertisement positioned the car as being for the "well informed" car enthusiast who likes "in" tastes...in other words, hip and cool! Well, the reality was, those types were out buying Mustangs. Also, late in 1966 Chevrolet released their version of a pony car, the Camaro, which all but put the the final nail in the once-popular Corvair. The rest of the Corvair run was hanging on my threads sales-wise.
Side profile of the 1966 Corvair, this was the year that a front lip spoiler was added. Pictured is the Corsa model, which was marketed in 1965 and 1966 only, and dropped before the 1967 cars were released. Available with either the turbocharged engine or the high-compression 4-carburetor powerplant, Corsa models also had full instrumentation and deluxe interiors.
There were very few changes done to the line of 1969 Corvairs. Amber front-side marker lights with clear bulbs, as opposed to clear front marker lights with amber-hued bulbs from 1968. The ignition key now had a larger square head, and the inside rearview mirror measured 10 inches across instead of eight. Thirteen new exterior colors were available, and one feature that was an indication that there wasn't going to be a 1970 Corvair: the lack of a steering column ignition key that was a new anti-theft requirement the federal government required starting January 1st,1970. The other 1969 GM cars received the new system moving the key from the dash to the steering column, but not the Corvair.
1969 marked the last year that the Corvair was sold, May 14th to be exact, and As a courtesy to the folks that purchased a new Corvair that final year, the Chevrolet Division provided them with a $150.00 rebate coupon that was good towards any purchase of a new Chevy car or truck in the future. This was done as a goodwill gesture as it was an obvious reality that BLUE BOOK showed.
2,795 Corvair 500series cars were built in 1969, and with a base price of $2258 and shipping weight of 2,515 pounds. This pictured car was a bare-bones version, except fora radio ($80), and ran on 7.00 x13-inch rubber with the standard small hubcaps. Headrests, heater, defroster and cigarette lighter were standard equipment.
This marked the end of the Corvair production. It was 2:00 PM and it represented the end of an era. It was all over, the car that could rightfully be called the most controversial car built was no longer to be on the market. In mid-May 1969, Chevrolet was offering $150.00 discount coupons to Corvair buyers towards the purchase of any Chevrolet product until 1973. The idea was that the factory wanted to help offset any lost resale value of the car because of the discontinuance of the model. It wasn't the book that Nader wrote that killed the Corvair, it was the Mustang and the answer from Chevrolet, Camaro, that put the nails in the coffin of the Corvair.
For those that want to appreciate the Corvair in a smaller scale, there's a variety of diecasts that have been produced over the years and in different scales and colors. Some of the rarest of all are the plastic "promo" 1:25 scale cars that Chevrolet dealers had on hand to give prospective Corvair buyers.
It was to be called "Polaris" and sold in Pontiac dealerships. Slightly re-styled to reflect the features of larger Pontiacs with large headlight bezels and oval taillights, but under the cosmetic changes, it was all Corvair. Pontiac honcho at the time, Bunkie Knudsen, succeeded in fighting against adding this compact to the Pontiac lineup. Back in 1994, Pontiac High-Performance Magazine asked him the details: "First, if a dealer tells people that this is a new, more advanced design, and then how will the salesman justify the traditional driveline layouts found in Pontiac's other lines? Second, the Corvair is a rear-engine, air-cooled car. How do I make it different? The engine can't be exchanged for a Pontiac powerplant. Therefore, how do I justify the extra $500 and $1,000 added to the price to sell it with a Pontiac nameplate?"
CORVAIR QUOTES:
On early Corvair handling from retired General Motors Head of Research and Development Engineering Jim Musser:
"The claim against the Corvair was, it was a defective design. So that means two things: One is that every Corvair was defective. And two, it was a slight on General Motors' engineering, that they would engineer a defective car. We felt it had to be vigorously defended, which we did. The problem was too much weight transfer at the rear, for two reasons. One, a swing axle has a high roll center, which contributes to weight transfer. Because of the weight back there, the coil springs were stiffer, and so that added to the roll stiffness as well. So fully 80 percent of the weight transfer in cornering was on the rear tires, and that's what caused it to oversteer and eventually go out of control."
________________________________________
From the PatrickBedard story: "If Corvair was the Answer, What Was the Question?" in Car and Driver May 1969, on driving a used 1967 Corvair Monza for research on the subject:
"In their day, Corvairs were small cars. They seem large now. Inside, I have to sit close to the wheel -- that was the way then -- and straight up. In fact, everything seems close, particularly the dash and the windshield. I'm taken in by how uncomfortable it feels. And how much we didn't notice it back then. The engine starts readily. It sounds like a chain-driven vacuum cleaner. The engine and a couple of wind whistles contribute to a rather high interior sound level. Within one block, I can see there will be no need for a long ride."
___________________________________
Jay Leno Quote:
"I've got a Yenko Stinger and a '66 Corvair Turbo. They're both stock. The most under-appreciated American ever built. It's just fun to drive, you just put a smile on your face."A lot of people put down the Corvair, I consider it one of the ten best General Motors cars of all time. They really handle, they are a lot of fun and a lot people who don't know what they are. I'm astounded at the fact that they sold 1.8 million Corvairs, and it was considered a failure. You sell 1.8 million of anything now and they make you president of the company."
___________________________________
John Zackary DeLoreanon the Corvair, as quoted from the "On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors" 1979 book:
"The ill-fated Corvair was launched in the fall of 1959. The results were disastrous. I don't think any one car before or since produced as gruesome a record on the highway as the Corvair. The son of Cal Werner, general manager of the Cadillac Division, was killed in a Corvair. Werner was absolutely convinced that the design defect in the car was responsible. He said so many times. The son of Cy Osborne, as executive vice-president in the 1960s, was critically injured in a Corvair, and suffered irreparable brain damage. Bunkie Knudsen's niece was brutally injuredin a Corvair. And the son of an Indianapolis Chevrolet dealer also was killed in the car. I conducted a three-month campaign, with Knudsen's support, to keep the car out of the Pontiac lineup."
The name Corvair was first seen on a Corvette-based dream car back in 1954 and it was named as a portmanteau of the names "Corvette" and "Bel Air" and by the time October of 1959 rolled around, the new Chevy compact car named Corvair most likely had a name that few if any would have correlated back to the show car that was seen at the Motorama.
The largest Corvair car club is the Corvair Society of America (CORSA) that has a network of over 125 local and special interest clubs, in over 45 states. For members, they publish a club magazine called "Communique" that is printed 9 times per year. It's a resource for parts, T-shirts, technical guides, advice and information from fellow Corvair owners. In addition, the CORSA Corvair Museum, located in Decatur, ILL, has an impressive assortment of historically significant Corvair vehicles and engine displays to show and tell the whole story. www.corvair.org
